Indy animal control removes 200 plus rabbits, turtles and goat from south side home

Indy animal control removes 200 plus rabbits, turtles and goat from south side home

Indianapolis Animal Care and Control took more than 200 rabbits, three turtles and a goat from a home on the south side. The rabbits had been living in an unheated, one-room garage that animal control officers describe as filthy.

“You can see their feet are becoming matted with urine. Also, the back of their legs are covered in urine from being in lots of feces and urine that wasn’t cleaned up,” said Denise Katz, a veterinarian with Indianapolis Animal Care and Control as she handled the rabbits.

The owner surrendered all of the animals that had to be transported to IACC in multiple vehicles. Some of the animals are pregnant.

“The cages are just atrocious. There is probably 3 to 4 inches of rabbit feces and urine in some of the cages where mildew is growing because it has been sitting a while,” said Marcus Brown with Indianapolis Animal Care and Control.

Brown said the owner, who did not want to talk to FOX59, admitted to becoming overwhelmed. Still, the animals were breeding.

“She had advised me that she shows rabbits, and she breeds them, and when I asked her what her count was, she couldn’t give me a number of animals that were in there,” said Brown.

The goat is injured. He was reportedly attacked by a dog weeks ago, and Katz believes he is sick. She said there were signs of an upper respiratory infection.

“He’s also got some nasal discharge so we’ll put him on some medicine,” said Katz.

Brown said a tip had come in about the conditions inside the garage through the Mayor’s Action Center.

The former owner faces dozens of care and treatment violations. Fines and court costs could cost her thousands of dollars.

“Being able to be in here, and warm, the babies will have a much better chance of surviving,” said Katz, who explained how the rabbits can live in cold temperatures but not without proper bedding.

Animal rescue groups and volunteers are helping IACC with the animals.